Thursday, September 16, 2010

Kids On A Leash And Other Nonsense

I see a wide variety of people on days that I work. Working in a mall setting does that.

One pet peeve of mine is seeing a toddler being led/pushed/pulled around around on a leash like he was a family pet. To me, that's like carrying around a billboard announcing how lazy and inattentive you plan to be with your child in the mall. You're basically announcing that you suck as a parent and are incapable of multitasking. You might as well get a tattoo on your forehead stating that shopping is more important than keeping an eye on your child.

Then of course you have the screaming parent, who is screaming at their toddler, because said toddler is screaming itself. This is an everyday, afternoon occurrence. Let me fill you in on a little well known secret you mental giant of a parent. It's one most responsible and intelligent parents know. Toddlers need a nap, not a trip to the mall.

School is finally back in session and most stores, with a few exceptions, are very pleased. Our babysitting duties have now been turned over to the public school systems. Now instead of parents dropping their kids off at the mall to roam around all day, without any money naturally, they get dropped off at school. What do these parents think their lovely children did at the mall all summer without any money? I can tell you most mall employees would favor year round schooling. We'll take the heat of teachers hating us if this were ever to happen.

7 comments:

Laura H said...

You lucky thing, take a breather, school holidays roll around with alarming speed.
I saw the worst thing a few years ago, a child on a leash TIED UP to a pole outside a shop! Wowza.

Just Plain Tired said...

Laura H -- Sheesh, the parent who did that should be shot, not killed, just shot in the foot or hand to cause pain for a few weeks. ;)

gaijinwife said...

WOW - tied up and left outside!! Must admit though, I am taking three small people (4,2 and 1) on a 24 hour travel nightmare back to NZ in a few weeks and fully planning on BUYING A LEAD for one of them. Would rather have them attached then lose them. Even good parents have toddlers that escape no matter how attentive you are. Not saying I'm a model parent, far from it in fact, but better than having mayhem and chaos running rampage through Seoul international airport :D - that or hub can look after them all and I'll got get squiffed on vino.

JustRex said...

Yikes. I could never ever work in a mall. I despise going there at all. Most people seem to turn into hateful toads when they get inside the mall. If I actually had to be there all of the time I would go completely postal inside of a week. It's a good thing I work in a prison. I can be my own surly sociopathic self and I blend right in. You are a better man then I am, Gunga Din!

berly02 said...

Kids and shopping do not mix. - True

I've sacrificed fashion to be a mom. It's not so bad.

Mustang Sally said...

Well at least I understand your reasoning, though I would argue that the parents that suck are the ones that can't be bothered to even try to control their children at all.

I've always been amused by the folks that hate the leashes because "Aak! The child's a human not a DOG!" I don't have children of my own but have been around plenty that were just that FAST, so I understand the leashes if you have to go out in a crowd. Particularly these days where any form of discipline is likely to be interpreted as abuse by SOMEbody.

@ Laura, Tied to a POLE! OMG The whole idea is so they can't get away from you and be snatched and they left the child outside the shop ... alone. Some people just shouldn't breed.

My mother avoided this whole thing by just refusing to take us with her to shop.

Gail said...

I did not have the advantage of leashes nor strollers to confine my children in their stolling years.

I had two choices, shop only in stores with shopping carts where they could be confined and within arm's reach or simply leave them at home with their dad.